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RAM upgrade for old computer

My computer died and in the interim, until I can get a new one, I'm using my quite old emachines T2245. The RAM is pretty terrible (256mb) so I'd like to upgrade it obviously. The RAM is DDR PC2100. I know nothing about RAM. Can I use the RAM from my old computer, which is DDR PC3200? I presumed not, but when I was looking online to buy upgrades a lot of sites were listing PC3200 RAM as compatible with this computer.

This old computer actually had some issues when I first hooked it up again with the RAM not being connected correctly (was giving me the beeps/not starting up). Perhaps from being moved around/sitting for a few years. I had to go in there and remove it and reconnect it, so I didn't want to mess with it anymore until I knew I had the correct RAM to go in there. If this one dies on me too, I'm stuck with the iphone as my only "computer" for a while...not desirable, haha.

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I actually have an eMachine T1742 and it too came stock with only 256MB PC2100. It seems nearly impossible to find actual documentation with full specs on these systems. But you definitely can use PC3200 in there. I believe they allow for 1GB stick per slot but not certain if it will run at DDR400. Chipset may limit the RAM to run at a slower speed. Either way, yes it is backwards compatible so you can use PC3200.

Thanks for the reply, I went ahead and gave it a try. At first only putting in (1) 512mb of the pc3200 along with the stock pc2100 256mb. It booted fine, but everything said I just had 256mb so I thought maybe they couldn't work together (again I have no clue how this works). Tried just (1) 512mb pc3200, nothing. Computer wouldn't come on at all. Tried with 2 512mb, same thing. Went back to my 256mb and it worked fine. So perhaps this computer isn't capable? Or perhaps those 512mb pc3200 RAMs just aren't right? I dunno. Looks like I'm stuck with a seriously slow computer for a while. Big downgrade going from 4GB of RAM to 256MB, let me tell you! haha